Sundawn's Promise
Please forgive me if this is terrible. This is my first addtion to this wikia! Prologue Mallowcreek stared up at the glittering StarClan warriors. One star shone brighter than all others. "I wonder if that is Speckledream?" Mallowcreek wondered aloud. A cold breeze whipped past her. Mallowcreek whipped around. A ghostly form of a cat stood there. "Who are you?" The medicine cat asked. "I am Quailheart, the medicine cat before Gingerfoot," the starry cat replied. Mallowcreek stared questioningly at Quailheart. "Why would you come from your hunting grounds to here?" She asked. Quailheart did not reply. Instead the she-cat flicked her tail and padded off to the thorn tunnel. "Well, are you coming or are you going to turn into ice?" Quailheart chuckled padded into the forest of LightningClan. Mallowcreek took a quick glanced behind her before trotting after Quailheart. Sounds Mallowcreek had never heard before echoed through the forest. She shuddered. "Scared?" Quailheart asked sympathetically. Mallowcreek gulped and replied, "Yes, very much so." Branches creaked above Mallowcreek and the StarClan cat as the cold wind blew through the trees. Mallowcreek kept pace with Quailheart, not wanting to be left behind in the forest. "Why did you bring me out here anyway?" Mallowcreek asked breaking the cold silence. Quailheart sighed. "I have an important prophecy to explain, and you were the only cat strong enough to understand it and not lose your mind," the starry cat meowed. Mallowcreek gulped again. Quailheart drew in a deep breath. "There is a great danger coming to the clans, the one with the sun guiding them will save us...." Quailheart's voice trailed off as the she-cat disappeared. "Wait!" Mallowcreek cried. "I don't understand!" "You will understand soon...." Chapter 1 Sunkit groomed herself until her fur was slick. Her pelt shone as she padded out into the sunlight. "Got you!" A voice yowled as a weight landed on top of Sunkit. "Fallowkit! Got of me!" Sunkit squealed throwing her sister off. Fallowkit chuckled and ran back over to Sunkit. "I scared you, didn't I?" Fallowkit squeaked excitment vivid in her voice. "No, not really," Sunkit replied puffing out her chest. She didn't want to admit that she was scared out of her fur, because if she did Darkstar might not make her an apprentice! Fallowkit gave a hiss of defeat. "Well, we be groom ourselves. We don't want to be messy," Fallowkit sighed padding off to the nursery. Sunkit huffed and settled herself down in the lilac patch at the end of the camp. She re-groomed herself until her fur was slick again. "Hey! Sunkit! Come over here!" Nightpaw called, beckoning Sunkit over with a gentle gesture of his tail. Sunkit grunted as she padded over to Nightpaw, who was talking with Willowpaw and Wolfpaw. "Yes?" Sunkit asked as she reached the group. Wolfpaw chuckled and she flicked her ears. Wolfpaw and Willowpaw had only been apprenticed to Hawkshade and Blackclaw two moons ago and they were still buzzing with excitement. "We wanted wish good luck, this is your day," Nightpaw replied his voice calm. Sunkit didn't reply but nodded. Willowpaw gave a low hiss. "What is it?" Wolfpaw asked. Willowpaw pointed her tail at Darkstar and her deputy Frostheart. "The ceremony, it is beginning," Willowpaw meowed her voice soft. Wolfpaw and Nightpaw gave skips of excitement. "Well, I bet to be going, I don't want to be late," Sunkit meowed trying to control her excitement. She ran over to her mother, Specklesky, and settled down. Stormwhisker, her father, padded over to his family. "All cats ready and able to catch their own prey gather here beneath highrock to hear my words!" Darkstar called although the clan was already gathered. "We have two new apprentices among us today, Fallowkit step forward." Sunkit gave her reluctant sister a small push up to Darkstar. "Until this young kit is ready to receive her warrior name she will be known as Fallowpaw! Fallowpaw your mentor will be Lilyfeather!" The clan cheered for Fallowpaw before Darkstar raised her tail for silence. "Sunkit step forward." Sunkit bound forward instead of stepping. "Until this kit is ready to receive her warrior name she will be known as Sunpaw! Sunpaw your mentor will be Foxtail!" Sunpaw puffed out her chest with pride as the clan cheered her new name. "Silence!" Frostheart ordered. He waiting for the excitement to settle before continuing. "Darkstar has one more word for us." Darkstar's voice rose up as she spoke. "We have a new warrior among us too. Nightpaw step forward." Sunpaw watched closely as Nightpaw stepped forward. There was a tiny bit of hesitation in his step. "Nightpaw, do promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your clan even at the cost of your life?" Nightpaw gulped. "I do," he finally replied. "Then I hear by give you your warrior name! From now on Nightpaw you will be known as Nightsky!" "Nightsky! Nightsky! Nightsky!" The clan chanted. Darkstar gave a signal with her tail to indicate the ceremony was over. The newly named Nightsky padded up to Sunpaw. "You received a good mentor. Foxtail mentored Cherryfall, he did well then, he won't fail now," Nightsky whispered before stalking off to talk with Wolfpaw and Willowpaw. "Sunpaw!" Foxtail called. Sunpaw cast one more glance after her friend before running up to Foxtail. "Yes?" Sunpaw asked. "Our first lesson will be a tour of the territory," Foxtail replied. Sunpaw skipped in excitement. Then a thought grasped her mind. "What about Fallowpaw?" She asked. Foxtail grunted. "I overheard Lilyfeather saying they were going to clear out the elder's ticks," he meowed his voice flat. Sunpaw hissed in disgust at ticks. "Well, are you coming?" Foxtail called behind him as he exited the camp. Sunpaw bounded after him. She gasped as she caught up with Foxtail. "The forest is so big!" Sunpaw breathed taking in all the new scents. Foxtail chuckled. "When I first saw this place a admired it as you do," he meowed. They pair continued walking until a fowl stench traveled through the air. Sunpaw wrinkled her nose. "What is that stench?" She asked her voice having a hint of disgus. "That? Oh, that is WindClan. Be careful Sunpaw, we are approaching the border to the moor," Foxtail replied his voice calm. "Will we have to fight?" Sunpaw asked. Foxtail chuckled. "Well, I should hope not. There are only two of us and about five of them on a patrol," he meowed. Sunpaw hissed. Shadows moved across the moor towards Sunpaw and Foxtail. "Oh come on! We talk about them showing up and they do!" Foxtail grumbled his voice flat. "Oi! What are you two doing staring into our territory?" The lead WindClan warrior screeched skidding to a halt just in front of the border. "Rabbitpaw, so good to see you again, where is your mentor?" Foxtail asked bowing his head to the WindClan patrol. "Windyflash doesn't mentor me anymore, I'm Rabbitdash now," hissed the light brown tabby she-cat. Sunpaw stared at the she-cat's nimble build, glossy pelt and strong muscles. "Your prey must be going well," Sunpaw meowed taking into account what she saw. Rabbitdash rolled her eyes and huffed. "Yes, the prey is running rather well. Let me guess, a new apprentice?" She asked. "Sunpaw is my name," Sunpaw replied dryly. "Well, you look like you won't be able to pass any assessment your mentor throws at you," hissed a black and white tom in the patrol. "Well you look like you're a weakling," Sunpaw snapped back. Foxtail slapped his tail across Sunpaw's mouth before another insult come come out. Sunpaw shook him off. "Hickorynose, quit it," Rabbitdash snapped looking sympathetically at Sunpaw. "Ignore him," Rabbitdash murmured to Sunpaw. "Well, we best be on our way, Sootstar will want us back by now," Rabbitdash growled whipping around and running through the heather the patrol following. "Well, Rabbitdash was nice," Sunpaw commented as her and Foxtail padded down to the river. "She was," Foxtail murmured. "You should of seen her when she was an apprentice, she would rudely retort at anything," he added chuckling. Sunpaw sniffed the air. A different tangy scent edged the air this time. Sunpaw wrinkled her nose again. "RiverClan? I'm guessing?" Sunpaw asked her tail twitching. Foxtail nodded and padded on towards the border. "This is Sunningrocks," Foxtail breathed leading Sunpaw out into the clearing with a huge pile of smooth boulders. "This is also the border between us and RiverClan. Sunpaw padded right up to the river edge. "Be careful," Foxtail cautioned. Foxtail padded up to Sunpaw. "Come before any RiverCl-" "Hey! Why are you at the border?" Called a wary voice. "Never mind," Foxtail groaned lashing his tail in annoyance. A slick silver grey tabby she-cat slipped into the water followed by a small brown tom. "What are you doing?" The she-cat asked her fur bristling as she slipped out of the water on LightningClan's side. The brown tom followed and shrunk behind the she-cat. "Is this safe mother?" He asked. "Hush Clawpaw, it is alright," the cat soothed. "Silverstream," Foxtail meowed. "How is RiverClan?" Silverstream looked at Clawpaw before her gaze returned to Foxtail and Sunpaw. "Why should I reply? With you and your apprentice?" Silverstream challenged. Foxtail shrugged. "We were just wondering how the prey is running," Sunpaw growled her voice flat. Silverstream hissed something to Clawpaw. "I will not reply to these questions," she snapped back. Silverstream whipped back around and dove into the water and paddled back across, Clawpaw following. "Well, that wasn't very pleasent now was it?" Foxtail snapped as the pair padded back into the trees. "We haven't seen ShadowClan yet though," Sunpaw growled as she realised that they were padding back to camp. "Look at the sun, it is setting, we should go back to camp," Foxtail retorted. Sunpaw huffed and bounded ahead entering the camp. "Sunpaw! How was it?" Fallowpaw asked racing up to Sunpaw, padding next to her to the apprentice den. "It was so horrible clawing out the ticks!" "Well, Foxtail said that we would see ShadowClan another time, but other than that, it was awesome! I met a really friendly WindClan cat called Rabbitdash!" Sunpaw explained really excitedly. "It's probably best to rest now, Lilyfeather promised me that I would do battle training with you," Fallowpaw yawned, padded over to her nest. Sunpaw settled in her's. She heard Wolfpaw and Willowpaw bickering about battle training and how Wolfpaw would always beat Willow as they settled in their nests. "Will you two keep it down?" Sunpaw snapped curling her tail over her nose and whiskers, causing her to slowly fall asleep. Chapter 2 "Wake up Sunpaw!" Fallowpaw cried. Sunpaw blinked and climbed out of her nest. She began grooming. "Well, you got me up, what now?" Sunpaw asked dryly. "Frostheart said that you, Foxtail, me and Lilyfeather are to join Nightsky's dawn patrol," Fallowpaw replied giving a little skip of excitement. Sunpaw finished grooming and stalked out of the den, Fallowpaw following. Sunpaw's golden fur was slick as she always kept it. "Hurry up you two! We're about to leave!" Foxtail called a hint of annoyance vivid in his voice. Sunpaw muttered something under her breath before padding over to the patrol. Fallowpaw followed. Nightsky huffed and looked away from Sunpaw. He looked up at her and quickly mouthed, 'I'm sorry,' before whipping his head back around and grunted. "What for?" Sunpaw whispered confused. "What did you say?" Fallowpaw asked leaning in. They patrol exited camp. Sunpaw shook her head. "I-I said nothing," she stammered. Fallowpaw muttered something before quickening her pace to be next to Lilyfeather. Foxtail slowed until he was next to Sunpaw. "Is your sister giving you a hard time?" He asked. Sunpaw sighed and shook her head. "No, just being to nosy for my liking," she replied with a huff before bounding up to Nightsky. Nightsky turned his head towards her. "Yes?" He asked. "Where are we patrolling?" Sunpaw asked whisking her tail through the air. Nightsky hesitated. He's hiding something, Sunpaw thought hissing unintentionally. "ShadowClan," he finally replied rushing ahead. Sunpaw's head fell and tail drooped. She glanced behind her. Her head whipped back around as Fallowpaw cast a glance at her. Sunpaw sighed and padded on. Pine trees began to appear in front of the moving patrol. Instead of the tangy, overpowering border scents that Sunpaw had preoviously smelled this one was more musky. Fallowpaw gave a low hiss. Sunpaw whipped around and faced her sister as did Nightsky a bit further forward. "I smell cats, not one of our patrols," she growled. Nightsky and Foxtail lashed their tails while Lilyfeather and Sunpaw gave distaintful growls. "Stay behind me and remember, if trouble is to be stirred let ShadowClan do it, not us," Nightsky reminded the patrol. "I hope no trouble stirs around," Sunpaw murmured just load enough for the patrol to hear. "I believe none of us do," Foxtail replied softly falling into single file behind Nightsky. Rustling in the bushes came to the LightningClan cat's ears on the ShadowClan side of the border. A red tabby pelt burst out of the undergrowth followed by a grey pelt, a white pelt, a black pelt and a ginger pelt. "Appleheart, a pleasure," Foxtail grunted bowing his head to the red tabby, the rest of the patrol copying. "Foxtail," the tabby replied dryly. The black she-cat flicked her ears towards Sunpaw and Fallowpaw. Sunpaw growled as a flicker of amueusment passed through the cats gaze and their whiskers twitched. "A bunch of rookies here I see, probably couldn't defend themselves from the front paw blow," the cat chuckled. Sunpaw unsheathed her claws and dug them into the sogy dirt. It took al her streng to not leap on the cat. Appleheart growled and lashed her tail across the black cat's shoulders. "Shut up Shadowfur," she snapped. Sunpaw hissed and sheathed her claws. "How's the prey running in ShadowClan?" Nightsky asked the hint of a growl in his voice. Appleheart flicked her tail towards the ginger cat. "Thunderclaw will tell you," she growled stepping back to let Thunderclaw pass. Sunpaw couldn't help but marvel at the sight of such a large, muscular cat. Foxtail growled, snapping back her attention. "I'll tell you," the ginger cat snarled darkly. "Get out of here!" Nightsky yowled, inturupting Thunderclaw, causing the tom to anger. "Just go! We haven't time for you," he snarled. Nightsky nodded and whipped around, stalking off into the woods, the patrol trailing. "We're going back to camp," he snapped. "Nightsky! What has gotten into you?" Foxtail asked smoothly. Nightsky growled and turned to face the patrol. "ShadowClan stole me when I was a kit and killed my mother in the act," he explained. "Now come on!" The patrol began to away, back to camp. Sunpaw fell back to Fallowpaw's side, as her sister was quivering and whimpering in shock and fright, not just from ShadowClan, from Nightsky too. "It's alright," Sunpaw murmured reassuringly. Fallowpaw sighed in relief as she saw that they were entering camp. "I just got frightened by Nightsky, that's all. I just need to grow up," Fallowpaw meowed strongly. Sunpaw shook her head. "Still, I'll always be here if you need me," she insisted. Fallowpaw shot her a glare. "I know," she responded. "I best be going anyway," Fallowpaw added. "I promised Blackpelt I'd share some prey with him." And with that, Fallowpaw left Sunpaw standing at the tunnel entrance, dwindling in her thoughts. "Sunpaw! Come and share some prey with me!" Wolfpaw called, flicking her tail down at a rabbit at the grey she-cat's paws. Without hesitation, Sunpaw dashed over to Wolfpaw, the two laying down together. Sunpaw took a mouthful of the rabbit just as Wolfpaw asked a question. "Do you think your sister has a thing for Blackpelt?" She asked mischievously. Sunpaw swallowed the rabbit hurriedly and gasped. "No! Why do you think she would? Blackpelt is a lot older than her and has already had a mate," she answered quickly. Wolfpaw snorted. "Blackpelt sure likes her then." "No, he doesn't, and if that is all you want to talk about, I might as well as go to sleep," Sunpaw snapped. Wolfpaw stifled a chuckle. "Fine. I'll shut up," she smirked. Sunpaw narrowed her eyes to slits before bowing her head to take another mouthful of rabbit. Wolfpaw suddenly stood up rapidly as Nightsky stormed away from Foxtail, anger vivid in the black tom's body posture. "What's up with Nightsky?" Wolfpaw asked nervously. Sunpaw looked up at her friend and swallowed. "We met a ShadowClan patrol and when Thunderclaw stepped out from the patrol Nightsky went off," she explained cautiously. Wolfpaw sighed and settled back down next to Sunpaw. "I hope he settles down enough to talk to me, uh, I mean us," Wolfpaw corrected hurriedly, She only mentioned herself first go, Sunpaw noted. I'll have to remember that. "I-I better go see if he's okay," Wolfpaw muttered, streaking down towards the angered Nightsky. More rabbit for me! Sunpaw thought with delight, bending to take yet another bite. A started yowl caused Sunpaw to stand up quickly, knocking the rabbit away be accident. She stared at the place where the yowl had come from, the nursery. One of the queens, Mintcloud, was staring, horrified at Skyheart, who to Sunpaw's surprise, was leading a broad shouldered gray tabby tom into camp. Darkstar was standing stiffly next to Frostheart, her eyes narrowing. Frostheart pressed against his leader reassuringly. Sunpaw darted over to stand next to Willowpaw, who seemed frozen to the spit next to Frostheart. The gray tabby looked at her calmly as his muscles rippled beneath his pelt. "I smell RiverClan," Darkstar spat at Skyheart. Skyheart's ha were rising as she replied, "He tells me he was kicked out of RiverClan for being half-Clan." The tabby snorted. "I am half-Clan!" He snapped defiantly. Frostheart whispered something to Darkstar which Sunpaw caught the end of, "There's nothing we can do to stop it." Willowpaw growled a warning to the tabby as he stepped closer to examine Darkstar. "Back away, before I shred your pelt!" Willowpaw warned, showing her now unsheathed claws to the tabby. The tabby's face turned from an expression of wonder to an expression of worry. "Hailpaw won't hurt anyone," Skyheart told Willowpaw sternly. "And if he does, I've promised I'll kill him." Sunpaw stared at the ginger queen, alarmed at this new quiet and dangerous and calm way she was speaking. Darkstar was clearly worried too, as she was eying the queen with narrowed eyes. "Sunpaw," Frostheart turned to her. Sunpaw gulped. "Take Hailpaw to the apprentices den," he ordered. "I know his mother, I need to explain some things to Darkstar." Sunpaw flicked her tail at Hailpaw, leading him into the dark apprentices den. "RiverClan's apprentice den was better set out," Hailpaw commented, looking around the den with a look of disappointment etched in his gaze. Sunpaw whipped around and showed her teeth. "Dont critisze my Clan!" She spat. Hailpaw turned away to look at a nest towards the back of the den. "Could I sleep there?" He asked. "Fine, only if they agree to let you stay here," Sunpaw told him firmly. A look of relief crossed the tabby's face before he climbed into the nest. "This is comfyer then the ons in RiverClan," he muttered, resting his head on his paws. Fallowpaw suddenly burst into the den, rasping for breath. "He is allowed to stay!" She cried, excitement glowing in the she-cat's eyes. Sunpaw eyed her sister with caution. Fallowpaw has never been this excited, She noted. Hailpaw raised his head from his nest, which, Sunpaw noticed, was very close to hers. "You helped me," he told her bluntly. "So I stay close to you." Fallowpaw tilted her head. "Do you even know us?" She asked slowly. Hailpaw shook his head. "No, but I can tell you're new apprentices. You, miss, are no bigger than a kit," he observed, cocking his head at Fallowpaw. Fallowpaw growled before whipping around and stalking over to her nest. Sunpaw glared at Hailpaw and scolded him, "I would claw your ears off right now if I was allowed." Hailpaw hadn't seemed to have heard. He simply looked over at Fallowpaw, who was still clearly fuming at him. "Touchy," he muttered before turned back to Sunpaw. "Why don't you go do whatever it is that you need to do?" Sunpaw bared her teeth at him. "No. I don't trust you one tiny bit." TBC